Top 6 Red Flags That You Have Too Much Stress at Work in 2024
Does being working make you feel stressed? Here are six red signals to detect before you burn out. (Too Much Stress at Work)
Employees and bosses are more prone to be overwhelmed by the workload.
But don’t you put boundaries and restrictions on what’s delivered to you (or what you’ve committed to take on), forcing you to do too much at work and most often feel stressed?
When do lengthy hours of busyness develop into burnout and excessive work stress? Knowing how to spot the indications of stress at work is crucial.
Fortunately, there are obvious red lights when you’re assigned — or committed to take — more than you can realistically handle. Here are six signs to tell you’re too anxious at work and what you can do about it:
Know about 6 Red Flags That You Have Too Much Stress at Work
You promise everything
You’ve been assigned something to do, so you have to do it — right? Unnecessary. If you have too many jobs or are becoming your team’s go-to person on an all-encompassing project, you can only accomplish everything impartially by feeling pressured.
Stop overloading by letting your supervisor know you are overwhelmed and unable to handle everything. “Learning to say no and advocate for your time is an important lesson for employees,” said Kristy Willis, chief sales and operations officer.
Executive leadership trainer Privitera notes that many employees’ respect for authoritative figures makes it hard to put off assignments.
However, being a “yes” person might lead to stress-inducing situations like clashing projects and daily responsibilities; learning to say “no” to certain demands is essential.
“Let your boss know you have a certain number of priorities,” Privitera advises. “Then ask which is more important and tackle that priority first.”
You feel overwhelmed
If you worry while staring at a to-do list that’s barely organized, you’re accustomed to being overwhelmed.
With hundreds of items on your to-do list and tons of unopened emails, staying focused on chores can take a lot of work. Feeling overwhelmed and not knowing where to start is a precursor of burnout.
You are procrastinating
On a related point, if you’re spending too much time surfing Instagram with a deadline looming, there’s another red flag: stress is coming.
“It’s a procrastination crutch when people are overworked and can’t decide what to do next,” says productivity consultant Helene Segura.
It can feel nice and even fun when you do, but giving in to the impulse to go online in the morning can soon lead to a stressful afternoon when, for example, you step back to make up for a missed time. (Too Much Stress at Work)
You wake up in the middle of the night to undertake mental work
When your brain can’t let go of your workday so much that it interferes with your overnight recovery, it suggests your stress levels are too high. Consistent late-night work, even from home, is a red flag for work stress.
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You make too many mistakes
Declining job quality and making rookie mistakes show that you are under pressure. “When an employee with a track record of on-time, high-quality deliveries suddenly starts missing deadlines or submitting error-prone work, it’s a red flag,” said Leigh.
Willis agrees and recommends talking to your boss if your job is so stressful that you lose the ball.
“Tackling this in terms of not being able to produce high-quality work helps them understand that it’s in everyone’s best interest to lighten the load,” Willis said. (Too Much Stress at Work)
You work every weekend
The weekend should assist you in rejuvenating and recharging before starting your new work week. So, if your recovery time on Saturdays and Sundays keeps evaporating from work responsibilities, it’s no wonder you’re feeling pressured. Continuing to work on weekends is another red flag that you may be approaching a tipping point.
Executive trainer Elene Cafasso advocates first acknowledging that it’s physically impossible to get everything done if you’re overloaded. Next, prioritize what’s important.
“What three or four priorities will drive your business and create the results you need to be accountable for?” Cafasso said.
“Do these things first. Talk about these topics openly and often so you’re recognized as someone who can create outcomes for the organization and be strategic enough to realize what’s important.”
